


Greater Than Their Hoarded Gold

by dakeyras



Category: Naruto
Genre: Abolish Private Property (Iaso & Sage_Thrasher), Gen, Jinchuriki Meeting, Power In A Union, Recursive Fanfiction, Socialism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:06:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24362512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dakeyras/pseuds/dakeyras
Summary: Akari, the Kumo-nin who's roused rabble and raised class consciousness all across the continent, has achieved one of her dreams. The nukes of the ninja world are forming a union to bargain for better working conditions.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 270
Collections: Exchange no Jutsu 2020, Real Good Shit





	Greater Than Their Hoarded Gold

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Aikosai](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aikosai/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Abolish Private Property](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22408759) by [iaso](https://archiveofourown.org/users/iaso/pseuds/iaso), [sage_thrasher](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sage_thrasher/pseuds/sage_thrasher). 



> This is a recursive fanfiction based on Abolish Private Property by Iaso and Sage_Thrasher, as part of an exchange. I've tried to stay true to the characters as they're written. The two songs in this story are real workers' songs (Solidarity Forever and The Red Flag).
> 
> I encourage anyone interested in the history of organised labour to look up 'trade unionism', which has had a long and successful history of pushing for improved working conditions and rights for workers. Electoralism is not the only route to change.

There are ten men and women sitting around a campfire. The fire is on a bare rock sat in the middle of a wide river. It’s the closest thing to neutral territory that Akari can find, and she hopes that it will be enough to avoid any clashes at the historic meeting.

Every jinchuriki in the world has agreed to meet here. She cackles, and all the jinchuriki flinch. Except for B, but he doesn’t count. The man is too used to her by now.

“Alright, let’s get this started,” Akari says. “The inaugural meeting of the Union of Jinchuriki and Biju, with honorary observer & general secretary Akari. Does everyone have their song sheet?”

It transpires that no, not everyone has their song sheet. Akari has brought spares with her just in case, so it doesn’t end up being a problem. Roshi mutters mutinously when she thrusts the creased page into his hands, but she stares him down until he meekly scans the words.

“Alright. Let’s start with  _ Solidarity Forever _ ,” she announces.

_ “When the union's inspiration  
_ _ Through the workers' blood shall run…” _

They warble their way through, and Akari is grateful for their secluded location all over again. It’s terrible, utterly terrible – nobody can seem to agree on which tune to follow.

“That brought a tear to my eye,” Akari begins in a level tone, before rapidly climbing in pitch and volume. She’s yelling by the next sentence. “You fucks had better practice because this was downright embarrassing. I swear if I have to shove a tuning fork up each of your asses for you to find the right note, next time you shit it’ll sound like a fucking orchestra.”

The circle is silent as her words are absorbed by the gathered ninja. Well, almost silent.

“Ay yo, my tunes are great, yours don’t even rate, I’m first out the gate, fuck making me late, now let’s collaborate,” B raps. “‘Till we’re dead, we all said, chairman’s gonna be the red head.”

“Um, thanks?” Kushina says.

Akari can’t resist throwing in one last correction. “It’s chair _ woman _ , dickwad.”

“The chairwoman  _ doesn’t _ recognise Akari, who is here as an  _ observer _ ,” Kushina snaps, face reddening. “Seriously, I want to actually make some progress here.”

Akari nods once, sharply, then scoots back out of the circle a bit. Her face is mostly hidden in shadow but her fierce grin still reflects the flames. It’s quite an unsettling effect. This is what she’s wanted to see all along – if she’s ever going to see any progress, it has to come from the proletariat learning to self-organise.

“The first order of business is to agree on a voting procedure. I suggest that each jinchuriki and each biju gets an equal vote.” Kushina’s voice is strong and clear, and she facilitates the ensuing discussion with a deft hand.

It’s agreed that jinchuriki and biju will refuse to attack civilian or partially-civilian sites with indiscriminate techniques. Furthermore, they will threaten to withdraw entirely unless their demands for fairer working conditions are met. Regular breaks and holidays, access to counselling and an agreement to not re-seal any biju in the future are all ceremoniously recorded as key objectives.

Later, when everyone’s left, Akari cleans up the meeting site. “The people’s flag is deepest red…” she sings as she works. After a while, she notices that she’s not alone. Kushina is skulking just above the shoreline, hidden by the rocks.

“Don’t you have a tree costume to pick up on the way home?” Akari asks. She likes Minato, she really does, but some things are more important than mere feelings, and calling the new Hokage a tree-fucker is one of them.

“How do you manage it?” Kushina says, staring out over the water. She’s clearly struggling.

“Manage what?” Akari asks carefully.

Kushina shrugs. “I just keep thinking about how new this is, how fragile the agreement is, and I’m terrified I’ll screw things up and people will get hurt.”

“Feeling that way is natural. For what it’s worth, I think you did a great job tonight. If anyone else had taken on your role, they would have been dogshit in comparison.”

Kushina looks up at Akari, a tinge of desperation in her eyes. “The more I dare to hope for a better future, the more the risk of failure weighs on me. What if this alliance falls apart, and I’m the reason why? How much more blood will be shed?”

“Communism will win eventually,” Akari says confidently. “Our ideas are better. All it takes is one union making a difference. Once the news spreads, everyone will unionise. And the more that labour organises itself, the stronger the working class becomes. Capital sows the seeds of its own destruction.”

“But how can you be so sure?”

“It’s already happened, that’s how. The Mizukage was toppled by the proletariat. Kumogakure has changed its entire ninja system based on a single strike action by one class of Academy students. There’s a reason we sang that song in particular, earlier.”

Kushina mouths the words again in wonder. “The union makes us strong.”

Akari smiles gently. “That’s right. It makes  _ us _ strong, all of us. Don’t put yourself down. You just organised more collective physical might than any human being has ever had control over in all of history. You’re doing great.”

“I hadn’t quite looked at it that way.” Kushina lets out a shuddering breath. “Now all that’s left to do is take the resolutions back to Konoha.”

“And pick up a tree costume,” Akari adds, because she can’t help herself.


End file.
